1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication device, and more particularly, to a mobile communication device to be coupled to both an external device having a short-distance wireless communication function and a server on a network in a manner so as to enable communications for exchanging data with the external device and the server in accordance with a predetermined protocol.
2. Description of the Background Art
In recent years, mobile terminals having Internet connection capabilities have been gaining prevalence rapidly. Such mobile terminals permit users to have access to the Internet free from time or space limitations. Various contents and services which are provided on the Internet are available to the users of such mobile terminals.
Some mobile terminals are provided with not only an Internet communication function but also an infrared communication function for enabling the exchange of data with an external device which is located in the neighborhood of the mobile terminals. A user may utilize the infrared communication function to transfer telephone directory information, address book information, and/or schedule information, etc., from a mobile terminal to a personal computer, or vice versa.
An example of a service which is currently available through the use of such mobile terminals may be a discount service which a user can utilize at a brick-and-mortar store. Under such a discount service, for example, a user who has registered his or her personal information with a service-providing entity by using a mobile terminal becomes entitled to discount coupons. The user is allowed to use the discount coupons when making a purchase at a store which is associated with the service-providing entity. Then, the service-providing entity may take a consolidated look at the information concerning the usage of discount coupons and the results of questionnaires (which may be filled out, for example, at the time when a user registers his or her personal information), which could facilitate its market surveys. Hereinafter, such a conventional discount service system will be further described.
FIG. 7 shows the overall structure of an exemplary discount service system. This discount service system comprises a mobile terminal 701 to be used by a user on-the-go, a server 702 which is managed by a service-providing entity, and a cash register terminal 703. The mobile terminal 701 and the server 702 are coupled to each other in a manner so as to enable communication therebetween via wireless Internet access. The mobile terminal 701 and the cash register terminal 703 are coupled to each other in a manner so as to enable communication therebetween via infrared communication. The cash register terminal 703 and the server 702 are coupled to each other via an intranet which is installed within the service-providing entity.
FIG. 8 illustrates a sequence of operations to be performed under an exemplary discount service system. First, a user uses the mobile terminal 701 to register his or her personal information with the server 702 via a wireless base station 704 and the Internet. After the registration of the personal information is completed, the server 702 transmits discount coupons to the mobile terminal 701. Then, when making a purchase, the user may transmit a discount coupon from the mobile terminal 701 to the cash register terminal 703 via infrared communication in order to enjoy a discount in accordance with the discount coupon transmitted. Thereafter, usage information concerning the use of the discount coupons is transmitted from the cash register terminal 703 to the server 702, and the previously-registered personal information is transmitted from the server 702 to the cash register terminal 703. Thus, the personal information and the usage information can be subjected to a consolidated examination.
FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary structure of a conventional mobile terminal 701. The operation of the conventional mobile terminal 701 will now be briefly described. Via wireless Internet access, an Internet reception section 901 receives data from a predetermined URL (which corresponds in this case to the server 702) on the internet. Via infrared communication, a short-distance wireless reception section 902 receives predetermined data from a nearby-located external device (which corresponds in this case to the cash register terminal 703). A data processing section 909 controls the communications in accordance with a predetermined protocol (e.g., the operation sequence shown in FIG. 8). Under the control of the data processing section 909, a reception switching section 903 accepts received data from either the Internet reception section 901 or the short-distance wireless reception section 902. The received data is stored in a data storage section 904. Thereafter, the received data, which may be converted to appropriate data for transmission to the server 702 or the external device, e.g., the cash register terminal 703, is passed to a transmission switching section 905 as transmission data (i.e., data to be transmitted). Under the control of the data processing section 909, the transmission switching section 905 supplies the transmission data to an Internet transmission section 906 or a short-distance wireless transmission section 907. Via wireless Internet access, the Internet transmission section 906 transmits the transmission data that is supplied from the transmission switching section 905 to a predetermined URL on the Internet. Via infrared communication, the short-distance wireless transmission section 907 transmits the transmission data that is supplied from the transmission switching section 905 to a nearby-located external device 703.
Through the above-described operation, the mobile terminal 701 can effectuate data communications with both the server 702 on the Internet and the nearby-located external device 703 in accordance with a predetermined protocol. As a result, various services can be realized through the exchange of predetermined data between the server 702 and the external device 703. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-148637 discloses a mobile communication device which can access a nearby-located external device in the above-described manner.
However, the above-described conventional mobile terminal 701 has a problem in that the data processing section 909 can only perform a fixed process or processes, such that the data processing section 909 can only exchange predetermined data with the server 702 and/or the external device 703 in accordance with a predetermined fixed protocol. Therefore, if there is a need to change the communication protocol in the service shown in FIG. 8, e.g., with respect to the sequence with the server 702, the sequence with the cash register terminal 703, the data format of the discount coupons, or the order of data transmission to the cash register terminal 703, the data processing section 909 must itself be re-designed and replaced. This makes it difficult to flexibly support changing services.
FIG. 10 shows an alternative sequence to the sequence shown in FIG. 8, which is performed by the discount service. In this alternative sequence, the mobile terminal 701 must first obtain shop information from the cash register terminal 703, and transfer the shop information to the server 702. However, a mobile terminal 701 which is designed to process the sequence shown in FIG. 8 cannot utilize this discount service because the data processing section 909 does not support this alternative sequence.